Book Review: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
This is probably the slickest play I have come across thus far. The pacing, comedic timing, and the abstract structure fit seamlessly into Shakespeare's Classic: Hamlet. Bravo Tom Stoppard, bravo!
It is probably one of the more absurdist plays that I have read, similar in a way to Waiting for Godot. The endless chatting with no meaning, but with a deep philosophical meaning, all the same. The comedy isn't obvious and not intended. I don't believe Tom Stoppard wrote this as a comedy, but rather a commentary. Not quite to the level of Godot, but definitely with the essence of existentialism. It is quite evident in the play's structure and setting just how murky the waters are for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The action for them unfolds in shady corners of the stage, while the real action is happening in Hamlet. There is a fogginess to it, the edges are blurred, the lights are dim. It is not concrete, less vivid than the world of Hamlet in Shakespeare's universe. Ever wondered what characters were doing when they left a page, a painting or off camera? Stoppard gives us a small window.
Some of the best aspects of this play come from its pacing, and that is where the comedy comes in. Again unintentionally. The meter of the play is quick and slick, even when the play reverts to its Shakespearean counterpart, the action wants to hurry along. It is hilarious - even if you know Hamlet and know what happens to them in the end. But then I have a question, we know from Hamlet that they are framed for execution by Hamlet as he falls into a deep pit of despair and psychosis. But does this play also follow suit? Do we take ‘absurdist theatre’ as a theatrical plot structure and genre, or do we take it as a symposium on psychosis? The other characters in this play are the Players - Shakespearean actors of the time, endorsed by the royal family to put on plays for entertainment. But one such play they put on foreshadows the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (apologies for the spoilers), and they're wearing the same clothes and look similar to the main characters. Foreshadowing is one thing, but portraying the characters' gradual descent into madness is beautifully done. Even right to the end, they are in denial, but spiralling at the lucid nightmare of it all.
The play's strong points are the fact that Stoppard is able to blend modern wit with a classic that most conservative theatre goers would consider blasphemous. Yet it works, and funnily enough, nowadays it is a modern classic play, drawing in A-list actors to play the complex characters. I would love to see this play live, brought to life and feel the humour and get a new understanding of the play with the actor's interpretation of the text rather than my own. I look forward to being surprised, pleased and elated at the performance.